Why simplicity is the key to a great indie game?
The indie games may be ones that encourages more experimentation, and a lot more creativity, than mainstream titles. However, a strange thing about indie games environment is that it is often the less ‘out-there’ titles that are the ones that go on to achieve the greatest level of take up.
The major developers may have the resources to test out and trial different versions of their latest indie games but that is a luxury that smaller developers simply don’t have. In the true spirit of the word, indie developers only have one chance to make it. For them, the prospect of franchised riches is a rare commercial jackpot. The goal is that crossover title that can leap to board games, themed casino slots games or any manner of merchandising spin-offs. All it takes is a concept of ‘a gets to b, takes c, win and repeat’, which is the entire concept of online bingo sites, for example. What really makes these and similar gaming sites so appealing to a wide variety of masses is its simplicity. The interface of these sites is so straightforward to the point that it leads you to many options that you can choose from. They are bright, shiny and very exciting. You can play the award-winning bingo games from as little as 1p and get all additional bonuses and prizes. With regular bingo promotions, friendly chat rooms and huge cash prizes up for grabs, you’ll experience nothing but fun times.
Given that background, it is certainly a little bit easier to understand just why it is that simplicity is so often the key to success. Everyday life is complicated enough. When you get down to play, something straightforward and simple is exactly what you need. Some would argue that a true virtue of a game is its complexity. However, sometimes the simplicity makes an indie game a lot more fun and exciting to play.
There is a long history of keeping it simple being a key recipe for success. The same applies to indie games. You only have to recognize that gambling games have stood the test of thousands of years to see how a straightforward formula really is all that’s needed.
Today, that formula is being put to good use by dedicated casino sites. A look at those online portals will show you that what is available is the digital equivalent of the machines that have been used back in the day. The shift to the digital arena was perhaps inevitable given slots’ increasing and incredible popularity.
The simplest ideas can become the most engaging and exciting pieces of art, when done right. Almost every big arcade game from the 80’s and early 90’s were simple enough in execution, not requiring a great amount of production budget or time for example. That’s not going taking away any of the hard work it took to make them, however, since the tools we have now certainly didn’t exist back then.
You don’t need to have huge backstories, complex character relationships or high-end graphics in order to win over an audience. Games like Undertale and Stardew Valley are perfect examples of a visually appealing game without going overboard. So too do these games provide enough content to their existence without involving motion captured cut scenes or endless amounts of text based dialogue just to get their point across.
Having said all that, sometimes a game can look incredibly basic from the outside whilst hiding a much more detailed and complex core, which makes the perfect example of balance. A good platform game can hook you with its charms and then frustrate you with delight in its challenge, all thanks to some clever level design.
Why simplicity is the key to a great indie game? was originally published on IndieGameStand Blog